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Thursday

to talk about america

so over a year ago i wrote a post and there was some debate and
because i have a hard time with people being mean to me,
i deleted it.then i wrote this post explaining it.
but since it's the fourth of july and i have grown so much this past year,
i can handle negativity now,
i am going to repost the original...

so my husband caused a bunch of controversy and
made a bunch of people angry on facebook and so
i figured i might as well share here what was so controversial and
scare off those readers who will dislike me after this...
{although i hope you don't dislike me. i hope
maybe
you hear me}

this is what he wrote:"i am having a hard time understanding how patriotism is not idolatry."

and see, i am too.

because Christ calls us to be in this world,
but not a part of it.
but for some reason, the american christian church
feels that being patriotic and
wanting God to bless america
is {choose one} biblical, right, good, just.
and yet,
when i read the Bible,
and when i seek to know Him and His ways,
i see the exact opposite.
yet so many christians act like
you must be a patriot to be christian,
but
taking pride in one's country is just that...
pride.

now don't get me wrong.
i love the place that i live.
i am so grateful to live in a land where we arerelatively free,
at least compared to many places and
where i can worship God without fear.
it is breathtakingly beautiful here and
our needs are met {thanks be to God}
and i thank God for this land daily.
that being said,
i do not think God cares more for our country than others,
i think He has blessed us with a large majority of the earth's resources
for a reason;
not for our comfort or
our physical well being,
not so that we can use them all for ourselves,
and not so that we can take pride in where we live
{in fact, the very fact that we have so many resources and
we continue to buy more and bigger and better
and keep accumulating
yet most of the world is in poverty should
make us hide our faces in shame,
not take pride in a land}
i do not think that saluting a flag or
singing praises to a country makes any sense.
when i see christians waving american flags,
i try to imagine Christ doing the same...
and the picture makes me laugh because,
well,
it's so absurd.
our loyalties should lie with Christ,
not a country.
what has being a patriot ever done for God's kingdom?

a flag is just a piece of fabric.

and,
you don't have to say anything
{believe me, i have been told by many
in my christian family that i am sinning}
but,
i
don't
vote.
there, i've said it.
i don't vote.
as i said,
my loyalties are in Christ,
and all authority is ordained by Him...
i trust Him.
i don't need to put my 2 cents in on who
i want to be in authority.
it doesn't matter.

God loves the world.
the.
world.
not just america.
not just republicans.
not just patriots.
the world.
and my identity will be in Him alone,
not in america.